The present invention relates to the pharmaceutical uses of betaines for up-regulating, enhancing, stimulating, controlling and/or increasing constitutive nitric oxide synthase expression and constitutive nitric oxide production or levels in a mammal, particularly in a human. Additionally, the betaines are claimed to augment after administration both immunological and functional (activity) expression of Tissue Factor Pathway Inhibitor (TFPI) in a mammal, particularly in a human.